Techvideoblog has a video review of the Menq Easypc E760, an $80 ARM-based laptop that runs Android. From the looks of it, I don't think this is a very good gadget, because it's slow (less powerful than an iPhone 3GS, but of course also a lot cheaper), but I agree with the Techvideo guy: the Easypc is important because it's the vanguard of a likely wave of cheap, ARM-based devices that will very soon have the necessary power for a pleasant and productive web browsing experience. Once that happens, a sizable portion of the current laptop and netbook userbase will move downmarket, and some of the constituents that the OLPC program was trying to serve (young students and the lower economic stratum) will have a network communication device available to them that's more accessible.

Most devices are made in China. It's not the manufacturing part but the design and QA.

For example, I have a Mac and I used to have a local brand (read: no-brand) laptop. They both are assembled in the same country but the quality and aesthetics are like night and day. I even wouldn't compare a HP pro laptop I used to work with Apple's consumer line.

But in general, I tend to agree (put the pure assembly aside). I have two similar gadgets, one is Japanese and one from Taiwanese manufactures. The latter is horrendous in terms of usability and looks.

A friend of mine had an Asian knockoff of some Nokia smartphone, it had lots of nice features but under the hood nothing worked properly and the industrial design was nonexistant. So, if possible, prefer products from leading industrial designers even if they cost more or are technically (somewhat) inferior.

A professor of mine once (like 10 y ago) said "the pace of science and technology is six months". Of course this originates from several decades back but is valid even today: if you have the tool to get the things done in an acceptable manner, you don't need a new one, you can't keep the pace. Obviously applies only to tools, not toys